Dante's movements were skilled and shameless.
Even Odin, King of Gods for thousands of years, had never met anyone so brazen.
He had faced shameless enemies before, but those were easy. No matter how audacious, he could just kill them.
But when it came from his own side, there was no clean solution.
The worst part was, he couldn't even refuse.
He was the one who brought up the uru alloy in the Vault.
In a way, wasn't this reaping what you sow?
That flicker of regret vanished, though, the moment he saw the orange glow in his daughter's eyes.
It didn't matter.
Compared to his daughter, a vault was nothing.
And technically, more than half of what was in there had been spoils Hela won in conquest and gifted to him anyway.
With that in mind, Odin produced an ancient, nearly crumbling key.
"Since you want My Vault key, take it."
Dante had only been joking. Who knew Odin would actually hand it over?
The moment he took it, Dante could feel the weight of it, not just physical. The power inside was no less than Mjolnir, maybe even greater.
Was Odin really using an All Father-level artifact as a vault key?
Dante tested its weight. Small, yet surprisingly heavy.
"Old man, this key's pretty strong. Why don't you just give it to me?"
Hela broke at that.
"Pfft… Ahem, while it's true this is a vault key, it's also a powerful artifact."
"Of course I know that. Why else would I want it?"
"Then do you know this artifact, disguised as a key, is the legendary Gungnir?"
"Pfft! What the hell?!"
Gungnir, the "Eternal Spear."
Forged by the Dwarves, gifted to Odin. Its shaft was a branch from the World Tree.
In myth, it always struck its target once thrown.
In the Marvel universe, besides functioning as a vault key, it was also a remote control for the Destroyer.
Its combat feats were rarely shown because Odin himself rarely acted.
But as the signature weapon of arguably the strongest All Father-level being, its power was beyond doubt.
Translation: Dante had zero chance of actually keeping it.
…
After Odin handed him the key, maybe Dante's smugness was too much. Odin quickly sent them both away and retreated to his chambers.
The "secret grief" that followed was entirely Dante's imagination.
In reality, Odin brooded for a few minutes, then burst out laughing.
Hela had returned, yet she hadn't turned against him. She had no interest in the throne and even volunteered to remain in Midgard.
Yes, in Odin's mind, "staying in Midgard" was the same as requesting exile.
But the laughter didn't last.
Damn it, neither of his sons, not even his adopted one, was fit to be King of Asgard. And the other had no interest at all.
By all accounts, his daughter was still the most qualified heir…
He sighed. One step at a time. His days were numbered, but he could probably hang on another thousand years.
Maybe by then he'd have grandchildren. If not, a skip-a-generation succession could work.
That was Odin. In public, the majestic, all-powerful King of Gods. In private, an old man with too much on his mind.
Dante and Hela saw none of that.
She led the way through Asgard toward the Vault.
As they walked, Dante turned the key in his hand. "Tell me. If I'd never shown up, what would have happened to you?"
"If you hadn't appeared?" Hela stopped, thinking. After a long pause, she sighed. "If you hadn't, the day I broke free from the seal would have been the day Odin died."
"I imagine Loki would still come to Midgard to cause trouble, and Thor would follow to drag him back to Asgard."
"I'd find Thor, make him figure out how to open the Bifrost, hitch a ride home… then be crowned King."
Concise, but identical to Thor: Ragnarok.
If left alone, the universe seemed to default to its original script.
Dante was glad he came.
His Hela wouldn't have to burn with Surtur in Asgard.
"But going by that, if Odin was dead, you wouldn't get Gungnir. How would you enter the Vault?"
"Break the wall," she said as if it was obvious. "The Vault isn't indestructible. Gungnir as a key is just for show. No real security function."
Dante opened his mouth, then closed it. "Fair point."
By then, they were at the Vault door.
Judging from the plain exterior, you'd never know it was the King of Gods' treasure house.
Not even a guard.
But when Hela took Gungnir, slotted it into the lock, and opened the door, Dante saw what "its own world" really meant.
The place inside was vast, impossible to match to the door outside.
"Let's go. Let's see what Odin's been hoarding."
"My dear Hela, you're still carrying Mammon's blood and the Greed Orange Light. Facing the King of Gods' Vault, it's bound to act up…"
"Relax. I'm not that interested."
"You say that, but your hand says otherwise."
Dante stared at her. Her right hand was holding his. Her left was gripping Gungnir like it might vanish.
Fine. Be stubborn.
Even the most stubborn lips soften when kissed.
He let it slide. It was her father's stash anyway.
Hand in hand, they stepped inside.
The Vault's depiction in the movies was laughably incomplete, purpose-built for the plot.
This was the real thing.
First up, the Infinity Gauntlet, which Hela had called "fake" in the movie.
Not exactly fake, the Gauntlet was just a vessel. Without Stones, it had no power. Compared to Thanos' loaded version, "fake" wasn't far off.
Odin had the Dwarf King forge one in case he ever managed to collect the Stones for… big plans.
Probably still sore from losing to the Celestials.
For Hela and Odin, one Stone wasn't enough to matter, let alone against Celestials.
Ronan the Accuser with the Power Stone taking out Odin or Hela? Comedy.
Dante wasn't tempted either.
The time cost of gathering all six was insane. The snap's price was worse.
Better no one got them. If no one had them, it was basically equal. Fairness first.
Plus, the Aether was already tucked safely in his Darkhold. Even with the other five, Thanos wouldn't beat him and Hela.
Earth had backup. Call Clark Kent, then J'onzz, then Red Lantern Hulk. Ask Thanos what flavor of death he preferred.
So no, the purple sweet potato wasn't a concern.
Hela passed the "fake" Gauntlet without a glance.
But the next sight made them both stop.
The Destroyer armor.
"It brings back memories… Father once wore the Destroyer, rampaging through the Nine Realms. Together, we drowned worlds in blood. Then one day, he cast it aside forever, becoming the benevolent ruler, hosting garden parties, making peace treaties… and tossed this old comrade into the Vault to gather dust."
Her tone still carried resentment. "Yet he imprisoned me like a beast in eternal darkness."
Dante's expression was complicated.
Odin clearly doted on her, but stubbornness nearly made them enemies until death, setting the stage for Ragnarok.
But Dante looked deeper.
In this universe, time's flow didn't always match, but certain events still happened.
Like Odin's challenge to the Celestials.
Beaten in seconds.
They didn't kill him but the Odin who sought to conquer the universe died then. What survived was Hela's "benevolent emperor."
Likely, realizing the universe held far greater powers was what made him abandon war.
That choice was the seed of their conflict.
And maybe sealing Hela wasn't only punishment. Maybe it was protective imprisonment.
With her nature back then, she'd have been knocking on the Celestials' door within years.
And Odin couldn't be sure she'd survive.
Could he have told her that? She wouldn't have believed him.
Dante shook his head. This was theirs to solve. At least now, they were on the road to mending things.
"But after two thousand years locked away, do you still believe conquering the universe was right?"
"If not for you, Thor, Loki, Harley, Ada, the Star Team… I might."
She sighed and led him deeper.
Odin's wealth was staggering.
The Casket of Ancient Winters, from Jotunheim, could freeze an entire planet.
The Orb of Agamotto, the Eye of Eternity, could detect danger across the universe and reveal the source of all magic. Odin had used it to foresee Ragnarok.
As Dante eyed it, wondering if it was related to Doctor Strange's Eye of Agamotto, Hela spoke.
"Found it."
He followed her gaze.
First, the Tesseract.
So Loki never had it here, must've opened his Chitauri wormhole by other means.
Next to it, a block of silver metal, surface etched with runes.
Beside that, a great brazier holding the Eternal Flame Odin had taken from Surtur.
The last two made Dante perk up.
Combined with Hela's command of the dead, the Orange Lantern wasn't a fallback, it was perfect for her.
None better.
They had struck gold.
In the future, she might even be able to deck her dad.
(To be continued.)
***
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